A sweeping gun-control measure targeting commonly owned semi-automatic firearms and magazines has officially cleared the Virginia General Assembly and is now headed to the governor’s desk.
On March 9, 2026, the Virginia Senate voted 21–19 to agree to the House substitute for Senate Bill 749, finalizing passage of the legislation after the House had already approved its amended version earlier in the week.
The bill previously passed the House of Delegates on March 4 by a vote of 59–35 after lawmakers adopted a substitute amendment offered by Delegate Dan Helmer.
Because the Senate accepted the House version without further changes, SB749 has now passed both chambers in identical form and will be sent to the governor for final action.
What SB749 Would Do
SB749 would prohibit the purchase, sale, manufacture, and transfer of certain firearms classified in the bill as “assault firearms,” along with certain large-capacity ammunition feeding devices.
Under the legislation:
- Importing, selling, purchasing, or transferring a prohibited firearm would be a Class 1 misdemeanor.
- Violators could also face a three-year prohibition on possessing firearms following a conviction.
- The bill also restricts the sale or transfer of certain large-capacity magazines defined in the statute.
The proposal includes exceptions for firearms such as antique firearms or manually operated firearms like bolt-action, pump-action, or lever-action guns.
Critics argue the legislation targets firearms that are widely owned by law-abiding Americans for lawful purposes, including self-defense, competition, and recreational shooting.
Second Amendment advocates say the bill represents another attempt to restrict commonly owned firearms rather than address violent criminals. John Commerford, Executive Director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA), sharply criticized the measure after it cleared the legislature.
“Gun-grabbing politicians in Virginia are leaving no stone unturned in their relentless pursuit to harass and disarm lawful gun owners,” Commerford said. “These extreme bills heading to Governor Abigail Spanberger’s desk represent yet another blatant attempt to implement sweeping bans on commonly owned firearms and essential firearm parts. Law-abiding Virginians deserve better than this continued assault on their constitutional rights—and if Governor Spanberger signs these bills into law, we will see her in court.”
Gun-rights groups say the measure will likely face immediate legal challenges if signed into law, particularly in light of recent federal court decisions applying the Supreme Court’s Bruen standard to modern gun regulations.
The final Senate vote again showed how sharply divided Virginia lawmakers remain on gun policy. The measure originally passed the Senate in February by the same narrow 21–19 margin before moving to the House.
Supporters of the bill say the restrictions are intended to address violent crime involving certain firearms.
Gun-rights advocates, however, argue the measure punishes lawful gun owners rather than criminals and could affect some of the most commonly owned firearms in the United States.
With legislative approval complete, SB749 now goes to the governor for consideration.
The governor can:
- Sign the bill into law
- Veto the bill
- Or return it with recommended amendments
If signed, the measure would become one of the most unconstitutional gun control laws enacted in Virginia in recent years.
For gun owners in Virginia, the fight over SB749 is likely far from over. Measures that ban firearms commonly owned for lawful purposes have increasingly drawn constitutional challenges under the Supreme Court’s Bruen standard, which requires modern gun laws to align with the nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation.
Should SB749 become law, it is widely expected to face immediate legal challenges from gun-rights organizations and Second Amendment advocates.
Breaking Down Virginia With NRA-ILA Executive Director John Commerford
